Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to produce containers.
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It is conventional for bulk ~uantities of fruit
or other produce to be packaged for sale in preformed rigid
baskets comprising a laminated wood or corrugated cardboard
tray having a laminated wood handle stapled or otherwise
permanently attached to the sides of the tray. Such baskets
are bulky and consume large spaces during transport and
storage when empty.
The present invention is directed to an improved
produce basket which is disassemblable and collapsible for
storase and transport when empty and comprising a collapsible
tray and a releasable handle which is connected to the side
walls of the tray.
In accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a produce container, comprising a collapsible tray
which has a generally flat planar structure in its collapsed
form and has a base, side and end walls upstanding from the
base and an open top in its non-collapsed form, the tray
being constructed to permit change between its collapsed
and non-collapsed forms to be effected without destruction
of the integrity of the elements constituting the base and
the side and end walls, and an integrally-formed handle
releasably comprising a first elongate portion extending
transverse to the open top of the tray and constituting a
grip for the handle and first and second elongate depending
portions hingedly connected to the first portion one at
each end thereof, the handle being releasably connected with
the side walls of the tray in its non-collapsed form by the
interaction of projections formed at the lower end of each
depending portion with the cooperating openings formed in
the respective side walls of the tray.
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Since the tray can be stored in a collapsed
condition which occupies very little space and the handle
may be releasably co~nected with the tray to form the basket,
the basket which is provided by this invention does not
exhibit the bulkiness and storage space utilization problems -
of the prior art produce containers.
The invention is described further, by way of illus-
tration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank of the tray
portion of one embodiment of a produce basket provided
in accordance with one aspect of the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tray portion
assembled from the blank of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a collapsed form
of the tray of Figure 2 which has been slightly opened to
portray the structure;
Figure 4 is a perspective view, with parts broken
away for clarity, illustrating the assembly of the basket
handle ~ith the tray portion;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail of an
assembled produce package according to the one embodiment
of the invention;
Referring t~ Figures 1 to 5 of~the drawings,
one embodiment of a novel reusable collapsible produce
basket in accordance with the invention is shown. The basket
10 comprises a collapsible tray 12 and a releasable handle
14.
The blank for the tray 12 is shown in Figure 1 and
comprises a centre panel 16 having a longitudinal fold line
18 and end panels 20 each having a generally arcuate periphery
22 with a step 24 therein. Transverse fold lines 26 are
provided in each end panel 20.
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Side panels 28 and 30 are joined to the centre ¦~
panel 18 along fold lines 32. The side panel 28 has a pair ¦~
of identically constructed end panels 34 joine~ thereto
along fold lines 36. Each end panel 34 has two approximately ;
equally dimensioned portions separated by fold line 38 and
~ has a notch 40 at its longitudinal extremity.
The side panel 30 has a pair of identically
constructed end panels 42 joined thereto along fold lines
44. Each end panel 42 has three approximately equally
dimensioned portions joined to each other along fold lines
46 and 48. The longitudinally extreme portions of the end
panels 42 have suitable adhesive 50 thereon for attachment
to the longitudinally extreme portions of the end panels 34
on assembly of the blank to form the tray 12. .'
A notch 52 is provided in the longitudinal free
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10~0142
edge of each side panel 28 and 30 at the approximate midpoint
along its length. A pair of openings 54 and 56 also is
provided through each of the side panels 28 and 30 adjacent
the fold line 32 and in lateral alignment with the notches 52.
The blank shown in Figure 1 is assembled into the
tray 12 of Figure 2 by bending the end panels 20 upwardly
about the fold lines 26, bending the side panels 28 and 30
upwardly about the fold lines 32, bending the end panels 34
inwardly about the fold lines 36 and 38, bending the end
panels 42 inwardly about the fold lines 44, 46 and 48 so that
the longitudinally extreme portion of each end panel 42
overlaps and engages the respective longitudinally extreme
portion of the end panel 34 and adhesively joining the
overlapping portions. To complete the tray 12 and prevent
it from accidentally collapsing by bending about fold line
18, the end panels 20 are pressed down about fold line 26
until the steps 24 releasably lock into the respective notch
40.
The tray 12 may be collapsed for shipping and storage,
by releasing the lock between the steps 24 and notches 40 and
pushing the centre panel 16 inwardly of the tray 12 to fold
about the longitudinal fold line 18. The side panels and
joined end panels collapse towards each other as shown in
Figure 3, until a substantially flat structure is provided.
The non-collapsed form of the tray 12 as shown in Figure 2
may be restored by reversing the bending operations and
re-engaging the steps 24 and notches 40.
In practice,rapid assembly or erection of the tray
12 is accomplished by one downward motion of the hand along
the interior centre fold line 18 as the folded blank is
placed on any flat, smooth surface.
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The tray 12, therefore, is capable of collapsing
and reassembly many times without impairing the inte~rity of
the physical structure of the tray. Thus, once the tray 12
is assembled from the blank as described above, assembly
or disassembly thereof requires only th~ folding of the
walls and base of the tray.
The structure of the tray 12 contrasts markedly
with prior art produce baskets wherein a permanent
non-collapsible tray and basket is provided. The collapsed
or folded form of the tray 12 shown in Figure 3 occupies
little space as compared with the non-collapsed form of the
tray shown in Figure 2 and hence multiple numbers of the
collapsed form of the tray 12 may be stored and shipped
without occupying the space of conventional trays.
The handle 14 is releasably connected to the tray
12 and usually is constructed of plastic material. The
handle 14 is ccmprised of a semi-rigid or rigid centre
elongate portion 58 which extends transversely of the tray
12 and two depending semi-rigid or rigid elongate portions
60 and 62 which are hingedly joined to the centre portion
58 at hinges 63 and 65 respectively. Since the component
parts of the handle 14 are hingedly joined, multiple
numbers are readily stored and transported as elongate
bodies.
The depending portions 60 are identically con-
structed and include parts for releasably locking the handle
14 securely to the tray 12. At the lcwer end of each depending
portion 60, 62 is a resiliently-connected depending finger
64 which is offset inwardly from and extends parallel to
the axis of the respective depending portion 60, 62 and
which, during assembly of the handle 14 with the tray 12
108~)142
in its non-collapsed form, projects inwardly through the
opening 54 in the side wall 28, and a pair of inwardly
directed downwardly tapering projections 66 having flat
upper faces which snap into the opening 56 under the spring
action of the finger 64. The interaction of the flat upper
surfaces of the projections 66 with the opening 56 prevents
accidental release of the handle 14 by upwardly directed
forces. A projection 67 is provided on the inner surface
of each depending portion 60, 62 to engage with the opening
54 when the handle 14 and tray 12 are assembled.
The depending portions 60 and 62 also each has
an inwardly directed flange 68 opening downwardly for
engagement with the notch 52. The interaction of each notch
52 with the respective flange 68 limits downward movement
of the handle 14 and also prevents movement of the handle 14
longitudinally of the tray 12.
The latter interaction combined with the interactions
of the fingers 64 and projections 67 with the openings 54
and of the projections 66 with the openings 56 provide a
rigid attachment of the handle 14 to the tray 12 to provide
the novel produce basket. The handle 14 may be released by
deliberate removal of the projections 66 from the openings
56, if desired. The assembly of the handle 14 with the
tray 12 is shown in Figure 4 while the assembled relationship
of the handle 14 with the tray 12 is shown in Figure 5.
The use of a releasable handle 14 in the basket
10 represents an additional departure from prior art
structures wherein the handle is permanently affixed to
the tray. The ability of the handles 14 to be stored and
transported as elongate bodies enables them to be compactly
bundled.
The produce basket provided in accordance with
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this invention and illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, therefore,
differs significantly from conventional produce baskets -;
and has significant advantages, i~cluding reusability, greater
strength, color coordination and a sliver free structure, not
possessed by the conventional baskets.
Modifications are possibie within the scope of
the invention.
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